Stay-wire spacer for wire-fabric machines.



A c. MILLS.

STAY WIRE SPACER FOR WIRE FABRIC MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. IIl I9I7. 1,282,910. Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

2 SHEE HEEI I.

A. C. MILLS.

STAY WIRE SPACER FOR WIRE FABRIC MACHINES.

APPUCATION FILED JAN. 11, 1917,

1,282,9m, Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

m: "cums PEVERS Co, Mmmnum. wAsmNcmM. n. c.

. trolling the spacing! of the stay wires with rrnn snares rarnnr canton.

ANSON C. MILLS, 0F JACKSON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 JACKSON FENCE COMPANY, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

STAY-WIRE SPACER FOR WIRE-FABRIC MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented (lot. 29, 1918.

Application filed January 11, 1917. Serial No. 141,905.

5 of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stay-Wire Spacers forWire-Fabric Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to wire fencing and has particular reference to novel means for weaving a fabric of that type wherein the strand and stay wires are united at their junctions. or intersections by means of staples. The present invention is, however, not limited in its usefulness to machines for producing that type of fencing.

It is common in the production of wire fabric, and particularly wire fabric used for fences, to draw the strand wires through the machine, the speed of production of the fabric being controlled by the speed of rotation of the pull-out drums or reels upon which the finished fabric is wound. In any case, it will be understood that the strand wires cannot be pushed through the machine, and, therefore, must be pulled, and as the reel or drum accumulates a supply the diameter thereof increases; for this reason the speed of travel of the strand wires through the machine would increase as the transverse diameter of the roll of fabric increased if means were not provided for equalizing these instrumentalities. Not only is the size of the drum or reel the controlling factor in the speed of production, but it is in addition a common means employed for controlling the spacing of the stay wires of the fence.

It will be understood that if a stay wire is fed at certain intervals in the cycle of operation, such wires being fed transversely of the strand wires, and the speed of travel of the strand wires is increased, the spacing betweenadjacent stay wires is increased in proportion. This, of course, is undesirable, and my invention relates to means for conthe incident advantage of controlling and equalizing the speed of wires. a

A description of the advantages of the machine can better be made in connection with the accompanying drawings,wherein Fi;zure 1 is a transverse section somewhat p; .d s aaieiatle in chara ter of f n m- I travel of the strand v chine constructed in accordance with my invention, and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the magnetic control.

In the drawings it will be seen that a fabric machine adapted for use in the weavin zof a fence such as described may comprise a stationary die-carrying member 10,

a horizontally-reciprocatingdie-carrying member 11, and a vertically-reciprocating cross-head 12. The reciprocation of the cross-head is brought about by the main shaft 13. It will be understood that the fabric is formed by joining the strand wires 14 andstay wires 15 at their intersections by means of staples which are driven by a driving plunger 16, one of which is provided at each intersection of the wires. It will furthermore be seen that the passage of the fabric through the machine must be step by step; that is, non-continuous. The fabric is halted for a time sufficient to permit the movable die carrying member 11 to advance and grip the wires at their intersections and for the cross-head to descend and complete the staple driving operation.

' The step by step movement is secured by applying" a pawl and ratchet mechanism to the reel 17, upon wh ch the finished fabric 1 is wound. This. mechanism comprises an arm 18 having a pawl 19 pivoted thereon and connected by means of a link 20 to a crank fixed to the shaft 13. The pawl 19 engages a ratchet 21 fixed to the reel. It will be seen, therefore. for each revolution of the shaft 13 the arm which carries the pawl 19 is moved a certain distance, which distance is fixed by the distance which separates the crank pin 22 from the axis of the shaft 13.

In order to vary this distance as required to compensate for increase in diameter of the roll of fabric, I provide the following mechanism which typifies my invention. The crank pin 22 is mounted on a threaded shaft 23 and is guided by the ways 24,-. R0- tation is imparted to the threaded shaft 23 by means of the miter gears 25 and a roll 26 which may have a rubber or leather surface. It will be understood that the pin 22, ways 24, threaded shaft 23, miter gears 25 and roll 26 all rotate bodily about the axis of the shaft 13. It will be seen, therefore,

minesthe length of the crank and consequently the extent of rotation of the reel 17. To carry the analogy further this 1s also the means which determines the spacing a finger placed in the path of travel of the V finished fabric serves to detect an increase in the stay wire spacing and electrically actuate certain devices whereby the length of the crank which controls the extent of rotation of the reel is lessened. These instrumentalities are as follows: A finger in the form of a lever 27 is pivoted to-the movable die-carrying member 11 and therefore reciprocates once for each stay wire of the fabric. The finger 27 actuates a switch 28, which, under certain conditions, completes a nine volt circuit through a solenoid 29. This solenoid completes a circuit in a 110 volt line by means of a switch 30, thereby actuating a solenoid 31. The actuation of this solenoid affects certain links and levers 32, whereby motion is imparted to a bell-crank 33 pivoted at 34. The upper arm 35 of the bell crank lies adjacent to the arc of rotation of the roll 26 and is curved in such manner that its face is substantially in that are of rotation. As the solenoid 31 is energized it will be seen that the bell crank is moved and the arm 35 thereof thrown into the path of travel of the roll, thereby serving to rotate the roll, which, through the medium of the miter gears and threaded shaft will lessen the length of the crank to a certain degree. In order that this action may occur only as required I so locate the detecting finger 17 that when the spacing is accurate and not too great the finger will pass between adjacent stays and not be actuated. creased in diameter to such an extent that the stay spacing is greater than permitted, the stay wire will be pulled into the plane of movement of the finger 27 and the described actions take place. In my experience a readjustment of the stay wire spacing occurs approximately each third stay.

By reason of the use of the described mechanism the stay wire spacing may be i kept accurate at all times and at the same fabric forming means, a reel or drum upon whichthe fabric is wound and by means of which the'fabric ispulled through the ma WVhen, however, the reel has in-' scribed.

Q chine, and means for determining and fixing at-which the fabric is-formed'i'andthe'pullout 'reelnnd electrical means actuated by said detecting finger for controlling the extent of travel of said pull-out reel or drum, substantially as described.

2. In a wire fabric machine, the combination of fabric forming means and a fabric receiving reel, and means interposed between said fabric forming means and said reel for determining the stay wire spacing of said fabric, said means for determining stay wire spacingincluding a detecting finger adapted for reciprocationin timed relation with said fabric forming means and electrical means actuatable by said finger for determining the speed of travel of said reel, substantially as described,

3. In a fabric machine, the combination of means for uniting strand and stay Wires at their intersections, a reel upon which the fabric is wound and by meansof which the fabric is advancedby a step by step movement, a crank connected to the fabric forming means and adapted to cause the step by step movement of said reel, and electrical means including a detecting finger for acting upon said crank to lessen its length as the fabric is wound upon said reel, substantially as described. y

4. In a fabric machine, thecombination of fabric weaving means including a reciprocating die member, a winding drum, a crank connected to said fabric weaving means and adapted to cause a step by step movement of said winding drum, and means for varying the length of said crank, said means including a finger located between the weavlng means and the drum and secured to said reciprocating die member, said finger beingso located as to be actuated only when the stay wire spacing of said fabric becomes greater than the permissible limit, and means actuated by the movement'ofsaid finger for shortening the stroke of said crank, substantially as described. 4 H

5. In a fabric machine, the'combination of weaving devices, including a reciprocatory member and a rotary member, a crank connected to said rotary member, a finger mounted on said reciprocatory member, a drum upon which the finished fabric is mounted, means for causing a step by; step advancement of said fabric by a corresponding rotation of said drum, said means including a. pawl and ratchet mechanism operable by said crank and electrical means connected to the finger on said reciprocatory member and adapted to act upon said crank to lessen its length as the fabric is wound on said drum, substantially as de- 6. Ina fabric machine, the combinationof Weaving means including a reciprocatory member and a rotary member, a crank mounted upon said rotary member, means for varying the length of such crank, said means including a roll bodily rotatable With said crank, an arm adapted to be moved into the arc of rotation of said roll, a magnetic device adapted to control said arm, a detecting finger carried by said reciprocatory member and adapted to control said mag netic means, a fabric pull-out drum adapted to be actuated by said crank, the arrangement being such that as the fabric is Wound upon said drum and its diameter increased the extent of rotation of said drum is lessened, substantially as described.

7. An electrical stay Wire spacing device,

comprising in combination a detecting finger adapted to be located in the path of travel of a finished fabric, a magnetic device to 20 which said finger is electrically connected, a crank for controlling the speed of travel of the finished fabric through the machine, and means controlled by said magnetic device for lessening the length of said crank as the 25 quantity of finished fabric is increased, sub stantially as described.

Signed at Jackson, Mich.

, this 6th day of Jan, 1916.

ANSON C. MILLS.

Witnesses:

T. L. CARTER, GEORGE B. HARRIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained,- for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

